Emergency fuel supply system



Aug. 11, 1964 W- C. MASON EMERGENCY FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM Filed April 25 1961 [/7 Va 27 tor MW/E'm 6. Mason United States Patent 3,144,172 EMERGENCY FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM William C. Mason, Slingerlands, N.Y. Filed Apr. 25, 1961, Ser. No. 105,454 2 Claims. (Cl. 222-51) The present invention relates to liquid supply devices and more particularly, to emergency fuel supply devices for use in motor vehicles.

In the use of devices, such as motor vehicles, it is very common to experience unexpectantly the depletion of the fuel supply due to inadvertence. This occurs despite the provision of fuel gages on vehicles. In order to avoid the inconvenience of such an occurrence, some vehicles are supplied with emergency fuel sources which may be manually connected at the time the main fuel source is exhausted. The present invention envisions the provision of means for automatically continuing the sup ply of fuel from an emergency source while simultaneously alerting the vehicle operator of the depletion of the main fuel source.

The chief object of the invention is to provide an improved liquid supply system.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved emergency fuel supply device.

A further object is to provide an improved automatically actuated emergency fuel supply device.

A still further object is to provide an improved automatically actuated emergency fuel supply device including indicating means for signalling the use of fuel from this source.

These and other objects of my invention may be more readily perceived from the following description.

Briefly stated, the present invention relates to an emergency fuel supplying device including a tank into which fuel may be supplied adjacent the upper portion thereof. Fuel may be discharged from the lower portion of the tank through a conduit which may also be in communication with the upper portion of the tank for the purpose of maintaining a predetermined level of fuel in the tank.

The attached drawing illustrates preferred embodiments of my invention, in which-- FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view, partially in section, of an apparatus for practicing my invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic view, partially in section, of another embodiment of the invention.

In FIGURE 1 there is shown an emergency fuel supply device indicated generally as 10. This device may include an enclosed tank 11 having means for supplying fuel adjacent the upper portion of tank 11 from a main tank 25. Such means for supplying fuel into tank 11 may take the form of a supply conduit 12 extending from tank 25 to the bottom wall of tank 11, continuing as pipe 14 upwardly into the tank and terminating in opening 15 adjacent the upper portion of tank 11..

A discharge pipe 18 may also extend through the bottom wall of tank 11 and terminate at opening 19 which is shown at the same level as opening 15. Preferably, opening 19 is restricted for a purpose more fully described hereinafter. Discharge pipe 16 may have a second opening 20 located adjacent the bottom of tank 11. During operation of the present device, fuel may be passed from tank 11 through both openings 19 and 20 in pipe 18. Pipe 18 may be connected to discharge conduit 16 which passes fuel from tank 11 to the float chamber of carburetor 22 associated with a suitable engine. This fuel may be passed through conduits 12 and 16 by a suitable vacuum pump 21 located in a conventional manner in conduit 16. If desired, a pressure fuel pump may be utilized in conduit 12 as shown by dotted line 24.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, main 3,144,172 Patented Aug. 11, 1964 fuel tank 25 may be located at a lower level than tank 11 and carburetor 22 may be mounted at a level above tank 11. It will be appreciated that other component orientations are possible While practicing the present invention.

Suitable remote indicating means may be associated with tanks 11 and 25 to show that the emergency fuel supply in tank 11 is being utilized. Such means may include, in combination, a sender comprising a float 26 connected to switch 27 through a hermetic seal, float 26 being associated with tank 11 to sense and indicate the fuel level therein. Switch 27 may be connected in a transmission, which in this example is a circuit including an electrical energy source. At the other end of the transmission is connected a receiving indicating device 28 which may take the form of a light, buzzer, or the like.

In FIGURE 2 similar reference numerals have again been used to designate similar structure as shown in FIGURE 1. In this embodiment, tank 25 and carburetor 22 are similarly disposed as in FIGURE 1. However, tank 11 is supplied with fuel through conduit 12 which extends through the upper wall of tank 11, pipe 14 passing downward therefrom and terminating at opening 15 adjacent the upper portion of the tank. Discharge conduit 16 may also pass through the upper wall of tank 11 and terminate in pipe 18 having openings 19 and 20 which constitute passage means for placing the conduit in communication with the upper and lower portions of tank 11. In this embodiment, however, opening 119 should be extremely small for a purpose to be more fully described hereinafter.

In operation of the embodiment in FIGURE 1, assuming that both tanks 11 and 25 are empty, fuel is first added to tank 25. When the engine is started, it operates vacuum fuel pump 21 and a vacuum may be formed in tank 11 causing fuel to flow from tank 25 through conduit 12 to ultimately be discharged adjacent the upper portion of tank 11. The fuel first covers opening 20 of discharge pipe 18 and the level in tank 11 rises above opening 19 because of this vacuum condition. In this embodiment, fuel flows initially into opening 20 and the flow may be later supplemented through opening 19. The fuel flows through conduit 16 and is supplied to carburetor 22.

As the engine continues to operate, fuel from tank 11 is drawn through conduit 16 and the level in tank 11 is maintained by the vacuum condition therein continuing the flow of fuel from tank 25.

If a pressure pump 24 is utilized rather than a vacuum pump, the pressure in tank 11 will be above atmospheric pressure causing fuel flow through tank 11 and conduit 16 to carburetor 22.

In the event the fuel supply in tank 25 is exhausted, fuel flow continues from tank 11 through opening 20 to discharge conduit 16. In this embodiment, opening 19 is a restricted opening in pipe 18 so that upon depletion of the main fuel supply, this opening limits the passage of air into pipe 18 so that mostly fuel flows through opening 20 and through discharge conduit 16. This fuel is drawn by the vacuum pump 21 or if pump 24 is utilized by the elevated air pressure in tank 11. The decrease in fuel level in tank 11 is immediately sensed by float 26 and the attendant indicator circuit, thereby giving notice to the operator of his remaining fuel supply.

In the operation of the embodiment in FIGURE 2, the device functions substantially similarly as previously described. However, when the main tank fuel supply is exhausted, since the fuel is being drawn by the vacuum pump up the discharge pipe 18 to discharge conduit 16, the venting effects of opening 19 must be minimized. It will be appreciated that when tank 25 is empty, the upper portion of tank 11 is vented to the atmosphere.

Vacuum pump will draw fuel up pipe 18 because opening 20 is submerged in fuel and opening 19 is so small that it will not sufliciently vent the sub-atmospheric pressure conditions in pipe 18.

In the event the pressure pump.24 is utilized in the embodiment in FIGURE 2, when the fuel in tank 25 is exhausted, the air pressure maintained by pump 24 in tank 11 propells the fuel to the carburetor and the small size of opening 19 assures the continued flow of fuel from tank 11 despite the fact that opening 19 is not covered with fuel. In actual practice, a motor which uses this opening has been found to work well with orifices in the region of 0.014-0.016 inch in diameter.

Fuel pumps produce a pressure of about 4 pounds. As most fuel gages are very inaccurate and have no definite calibration, and as the fuel is spread out over the bottom of a large conventional flat tank to a depth of one inch when the tank is level, this would amount to a considerable quantity of fuel; but when the car tips at a slight angle ona crowned road, or otherwise, the bottom of the tank may be dry at the point Where the supply to the carburetor is located. By means of the present invention, this situation will no longer obtain, because the emergency fuel tank is small and the operator, as soon as the indicator informs him that this tank has become his .sole source of supply, knows almost exactly how much fuel he has left.

The present invention has been described with particular reference to use in motor vehicles. It will be appreciated that the invention may also be employed with stationary engines and in other liquid supply systems.

While I have described preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be appreciated that the invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An emergency fuel supply system comprising an emergency tank, means for supplying fuel into said emergency tank, adjacent the upper portion thereof, from a main supply tank, a discharge conduit extending from the lower portion of said emergency tank, a sender responsive to the level of fuel in said emergency tank, an indicating receiver adapted 'to be located at a position remote from said emergency tank, and a transmission connecting said sender and receiver.

2. The emergency fuel supply system of claim 1 Wherein the sender, transmission, and receiver are of the electric type. V V

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,734,561 Funkhouser Feb. 14, 1956 2,771,944 Thornburg Nov. 27, 1956 2,818,915 Pfeffer Jan. 7, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 740,717 France Jan. 31, 1933 

1. AN EMERGENCY FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM COMPRISING AN EMERGENCY TANK, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING FUEL INTO SAID EMERGENCY TANK, ADJACENT THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF, FROM A MAIN SUPPLY TANK, A DISCHARGE CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID EMERGENCY TANK, A SENDER RESPONSIVE TO THE LEVEL OF FUEL IN SAID EMERGENCY TANK, AN INDICATING RECEIVER ADAPTED TO BE LOCATED AT A POSITION REMOTE FROM SAID EMERGENCY TANK, AND A TRANSMISSION CONNECTING SAID SENDER AND RECEIVER. 